Ewart Hall

Ewart Hall
Sherif Kamel, Assoc Prof and Director IMD, Management Department
The very special Ewart Hall (symbol of AUC, as I truly see it) has seen over many decades a large number of
graduation ceremonies, movie festivals and showings, public speeches, debates, seminars, conferences and
many more events and activities. Everyone’s ambition was to go on stage at least once before graduation; it
was an honor for every student, if realized. It is so nice to see how such a beautiful, historical and impressive
hall meant different things and memories to different people. For me, it meant a lot; it is an integral part of
my AUC life.
However, the one incident that tops them all is that day in October 1987 when a decision was about to be
made to move the graduation ceremony (which then included both graduate and undergraduate students)
to Hotel Semiramis Intercontinental for the February 4th 1988 commencement. I could not believe it, I had
completed my BA requirements in July 1987 and was looking forward to the
commencement ceremony, but graduating from Hotel Semiramis
Intercontinental never was an option, in fact it was out of the question, this
is not what I/we were waiting for since my fellow graduates and I joined
AUC.
We, as students, needed to act fast, and I do remember the efforts I helped
start together with my fellow graduates in many forms including the
pressure we put on the office of student affairs and other offices in the
university to keep the graduation ceremony at Ewart Hall. Finally, during the
3rd week of November, the great news was announced and it was decided
that the graduation ceremony will be held for the last time for the
undergraduate students at Ewart Hall, and we as graduates of that class,
were extremely lucky and fortunate to be among the generations that
graduated from Ewart Hall adding more excitement and joy to the
uniqueness of this life-time experience in such a breathtaking setting located
in the heart of the main campus of AUC.

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AUC Oral Histories and Reminiscences; Rare Books and Special Collections Library; American University in Cairo

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Ewart Hall
Sherif Kamel, Assoc Prof and Director IMD, Management Department
The very special Ewart Hall (symbol of AUC, as I truly see it) has seen over many decades a large number of
graduation ceremonies, movie festivals and showings, public speeches, debates, seminars, conferences and
many more events and activities. Everyone’s ambition was to go on stage at least once before graduation; it
was an honor for every student, if realized. It is so nice to see how such a beautiful, historical and impressive
hall meant different things and memories to different people. For me, it meant a lot; it is an integral part of
my AUC life.
However, the one incident that tops them all is that day in October 1987 when a decision was about to be
made to move the graduation ceremony (which then included both graduate and undergraduate students)
to Hotel Semiramis Intercontinental for the February 4th 1988 commencement. I could not believe it, I had
completed my BA requirements in July 1987 and was looking forward to the
commencement ceremony, but graduating from Hotel Semiramis
Intercontinental never was an option, in fact it was out of the question, this
is not what I/we were waiting for since my fellow graduates and I joined
AUC.
We, as students, needed to act fast, and I do remember the efforts I helped
start together with my fellow graduates in many forms including the
pressure we put on the office of student affairs and other offices in the
university to keep the graduation ceremony at Ewart Hall. Finally, during the
3rd week of November, the great news was announced and it was decided
that the graduation ceremony will be held for the last time for the
undergraduate students at Ewart Hall, and we as graduates of that class,
were extremely lucky and fortunate to be among the generations that
graduated from Ewart Hall adding more excitement and joy to the
uniqueness of this life-time experience in such a breathtaking setting located
in the heart of the main campus of AUC.